WR250F as a Dual Sport - Reliability? - Page 3

jesusgatos · 05-29-2007, 03:03 PM

I posted a link earlier in this thread (1st page) to the thread on thumpertalk about adding an oil cooler. I just installed a set of Unabiker radiator guards that I custom-ordered with the oil-cooler mount option and a Jagg / Setrab oil cooler on my '03 WR250F. I think this it an awesome DS mod for WR's. It added about 6-7 ounces of oil capacity and the oil cooler is really well protected. Unabiker rocks. I'll post a few pictures.

Southest US Thumper · 05-29-2007, 11:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ian640

Another question for WR250F owners. What's the recommended distance between oil changes? And valve clearance checks?

My '06 Book says:

Competition Use:
- Oil Change every fifth Race or 1,000 km
- Vlave check every third race or 500 km

General Use:
- Oil Change 3,000 km or 3 months then 5K or 6 months
- Valve checks are the same as oil

That said, I change my oil every five hours and check the valves every 20, think I got that off of Thumper Talk. I got 50 or so hrs and three valve checks on it since December, the valves haven't moved a bit.

I ran a Hare n Hound Sunday from 6,000' to 9,600' and 57 miles total, the only failure I had was the Baja Designs license plate bracket that broke about 40 miles into it (saw the plate was missing and called a sweep rider to keep an eye out, reunited and it feels so good, reunited....).

I plated it to ride 10-12 combined pavement miles on 50-90 mile days of classic Big Island "Trail Riding" which fits my definition of "Dual Sporting" perfectly.

El Hombre · 05-30-2007, 08:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ian640

Can someone please translate fragging?

Another question for WR250F owners. What's the recommended distance between oil changes? And valve clearance checks?

Thanks in advance.

Ian, I see you're from the UK. Fragging was using a fragmentation grenade to kill the
officer that was doing his best to get you killed. Walking into ambushes; going into valleys that everyone knew were just crawling with NVA. This was in Vietnam.

The intake valves are bigger, heavier than the exhausts. At the speeds the engine is turning, it's pulling the head of the intake so hard when it seats that it stretches the valve. Called tuliping.

Ian640 · 05-30-2007, 02:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jesusgatos

It added about 6-7 ounces of oil capacity and the oil cooler is really well protected. Unabiker rocks. I'll post a few pictures.

Be interested to see the pics of your oil cooler arrangement.

Thanks.

Ian640 · 05-30-2007, 02:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Southest US Thumper

My '06 Book says:

Competition Use:
- Oil Change every fifth Race or 1,000 km
- Vlave check every third race or 500 km

General Use:
- Oil Change 3,000 km or 3 months then 5K or 6 months
- Valve checks are the same as oil

That said, I change my oil every five hours and check the valves every 20, think I got that off of Thumper Talk. I got 50 or so hrs and three valve checks on it since December, the valves haven't moved a bit.

I ran a Hare n Hound Sunday from 6,000' to 9,600' and 57 miles total, the only failure I had was the Baja Designs license plate bracket that broke about 40 miles into it (saw the plate was missing and called a sweep rider to keep an eye out, reunited and it feels so good, reunited....).

This is sounding good. I think my LC4 has recommended intervals of 3000 miles (about 5000km) in normal use.

Happy to hear you were reunited with your licence plate bracket. Not much worse than losing one of those in my experience

. Can even get you excluded from some multi-day events if the machine examiner spots you. Really.

Cheers.

Ian640 · 05-30-2007, 02:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by El Hombre

Fragging was using a fragmentation grenade to kill the
officer that was doing his best to get you killed. This was in Vietnam.

I wasn't there (thankfully) or much aware at the time. Too young/wrong (right?) nationality.

Thanks for the insight on valve tulipping.

jesusgatos · 05-30-2007, 03:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ian640

Be interested to see the pics of your oil cooler arrangement.

I didn't take any pictures while I was installing the radiator guards and the oil cooler, but I just snapped a few to show you how it's mounted.

Can you see the oil cooler hiding behind the radiator shroud there?

I used 3/8" Earl's SuperStock hose instead of regular automotive hoses. Their hoses have a much nice full braided liner, so they should be a lot more durable and resistant to tearing than regular oil hoses.

I just ran one hose to the cooler from the 3/8" oil fitting on the left side of the bottom of the down tube. Then I ran the other hose from the oil cooler to the hard-lin that is attached to the left side of the engine. I cut the hard line and flared it so I could clamp the other 3/8" flexible oil line to it. I routed the hoses close to the frame and behind the Flatland skidplate, so I don't think they'll get snagged on anything.

This isn't a great picture, but you can see how the radiator guard on the left side is kicked out a few degrees and the oil cooler is mounted in front of the radiator. The whole thing fits great and the front fender doesn't rub on it or anything.

jesusgatos · 05-30-2007, 03:44 PM

This is what it's all about.

Trailers are for boats!

Ian640 · 06-01-2007, 03:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jesusgatos

Trailers are for boats!

Well said. I'm very much into riding my bike to events then riding home again. Just how it was when generally one either owned a bike or a car but not both.

Anyways, thanks for the pics. You mention the oil hose running from the frame tube. Does the WR250F have oil in the frame? I was under the impression it was wet sump. The Scorpa T-Ride I'm looking at appears to have no external oil reservoir, yet I believe has a 2006 WR250F motor. Not that it's unheard of to have similar engines with different lubriaction setups (e.g. KTM 640LC4-E/625 SXC).

jesusgatos · 06-01-2007, 03:24 PM

Yeah, the WR's store oil in the frame.

westoz safari · 07-30-2007, 10:07 AM

YO. Nice little thread here and it's right up my alley.
I bought a 2001 wr250f a year ago for $4500, done maybe 5-6k, and I'm gonna haul its nasty ass around OZ with a tent and some guts. I hear MANY THINGS about it's reliability, but as far as i'm concernded, if I look after it and check it enough, the right parts shouldn't be that hard to get (and replace yourself) most anywhere in my home country, so i'm looking forward to dual-sporting it all over this place like a madman shitting. What does dual sporting even mean. sounds kind of catchphrasey...like emo or black prog emo jazz/metal.

I've considered others, then and since, for sensibilty & reliability, but i come down to the fact that as well as serving as a a trusty travelling steed, I still manage to be WOOOOTING!!!! at full volume in my helmet when you cain it through some bumpy dirt track as it pulls your arms off, literally hootin 'n' holleren as the yanks say. It's just that much fun.

spidennis · 07-30-2007, 07:52 PM

cool thread ....... small touring bikes ..... I just quickly looked at a ride report about a vespa going cross country so ...... and I too have a WR250F, an '03 model, and plannning and outfitting to do some TAT style riding. Just bought a $199 Garmin 2610 and mounted it via a plate on my handlebars. Some foam and bungies for shock iso and tie downs. made a sun shield today for the screen, not pretty but it works nicely. Got a quick release camera mount installed too ....... using the kenda trackmaster II K760 DOT tires, on my second set now, they work pretty good, but haven't much big road use with them, yet ...... I do plan on getting the cycleracks rear rack to help hold and tie down camping gear and such. Maybe even the 6.6 gal Acerbis tank for riding out in the western wildernesses ..... I am planning on doing the TAT someday, but til then it'll just be smaller trips here, or there, or where ever. Right now I'm getting used to using the GPS ...... sure looking to ride the mountains with my WR!

see what I've done with my bike here
(rides and mods):
http://www.sandslave.com/2003wr250f/

DADODIRT · 10-15-2007, 10:51 AM

I just picked up a 2001 WR250 this week. It is not street legal yet, but I plan on adding a brake light and mirror as required by CoDOT.
What is a good brake light/license plate kit. I like the one in the above picture.
I guess the kit would include instructions on how to install, but I am curious as this is the first bike I've owned without a battery. It must need some sort of voltage regulator like on the light switch?

jesusgatos · 10-15-2007, 10:59 AM

The setup in the picture above is a YZ250F rear fender with a Baja Designs
LED taillight / brake light and license plate mount. The only other thing you need to order is a brake light switch to mount on your rear master cylinder. If you want to get by as cheap as possible, you can keep your WR rear fender and light; it's already got a brake light in there, you just need to wire it, and then make a little bracket to hang a plate. WR's also already have a hi-low beam headlight, you just need to add a switch so you can select between them.

gstar60 · 09-07-2008, 03:11 PM

alright how about a yz450. I posted in another thread but it may be more suited for this one. I just bough a yz450 (2007) and have figured out everything(licensing ,lighting, ect.) but want to know about reliability?? I will be doing 35 minute highway trip(60-70mph) on it a couple times a week.
I would like it to still be a trail ridder to(i'd guess about 40% offroad).
Will it hold up with proper maintance and low -moderate abuse??
If it wasn't brand new and i didn't owe millions on it, I might consider a ktm but right now thats not an option.

What other mods should be done?? Oil cooler?? fan for radiator(saw it on an aprilla dual sport??)

The bike is sick on the streets and I'm young so the rough ride/balls to the wall throttle response isn't a problem its a benifit!!!

What do you think??

07-30-2007, 07:52 PM	#42
spidennis SandStorm Adventures Joined: Nov 2006 Location: South Padre Island, Texas .... far from anything Oddometer: 1,259	cool thread ....... small touring bikes ..... I just quickly looked at a ride report about a vespa going cross country so ...... and I too have a WR250F, an '03 model, and plannning and outfitting to do some TAT style riding. Just bought a $199 Garmin 2610 and mounted it via a plate on my handlebars. Some foam and bungies for shock iso and tie downs. made a sun shield today for the screen, not pretty but it works nicely. Got a quick release camera mount installed too ....... using the kenda trackmaster II K760 DOT tires, on my second set now, they work pretty good, but haven't much big road use with them, yet ...... I do plan on getting the cycleracks rear rack to help hold and tie down camping gear and such. Maybe even the 6.6 gal Acerbis tank for riding out in the western wildernesses ..... I am planning on doing the TAT someday, but til then it'll just be smaller trips here, or there, or where ever. Right now I'm getting used to using the GPS ...... sure looking to ride the mountains with my WR! see what I've done with my bike here (rides and mods): http://www.sandslave.com/2003wr250f/ __________________ 2003 Yamaha WR250F (texas street legal, my primary ride, oh yeah baby!) List of mods and rides: http://www.sandslave.com/2003wr250f/ List of my Spot Tracker Adventures: http://www.spotadventures.com/user/p...?user_id=53368

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05-29-2007, 03:03 PM	#31
jesusgatos fishing with dynamite Joined: Nov 2006 Location: on the road Oddometer: 2,035	I posted a link earlier in this thread (1st page) to the thread on thumpertalk about adding an oil cooler. I just installed a set of Unabiker radiator guards that I custom-ordered with the oil-cooler mount option and a Jagg / Setrab oil cooler on my '03 WR250F. I think this it an awesome DS mod for WR's. It added about 6-7 ounces of oil capacity and the oil cooler is really well protected. Unabiker rocks. I'll post a few pictures.

05-30-2007, 03:44 PM	#38
jesusgatos fishing with dynamite Joined: Nov 2006 Location: on the road Oddometer: 2,035	This is what it's all about. Trailers are for boats!

06-01-2007, 03:24 PM	#40
jesusgatos fishing with dynamite Joined: Nov 2006 Location: on the road Oddometer: 2,035	Yeah, the WR's store oil in the frame.

07-30-2007, 10:07 AM	#41
westoz safari n00b Joined: Jul 2007 Oddometer: 1	YO. Nice little thread here and it's right up my alley. I bought a 2001 wr250f a year ago for $4500, done maybe 5-6k, and I'm gonna haul its nasty ass around OZ with a tent and some guts. I hear MANY THINGS about it's reliability, but as far as i'm concernded, if I look after it and check it enough, the right parts shouldn't be that hard to get (and replace yourself) most anywhere in my home country, so i'm looking forward to dual-sporting it all over this place like a madman shitting. What does dual sporting even mean. sounds kind of catchphrasey...like emo or black prog emo jazz/metal. I've considered others, then and since, for sensibilty & reliability, but i come down to the fact that as well as serving as a a trusty travelling steed, I still manage to be WOOOOTING!!!! at full volume in my helmet when you cain it through some bumpy dirt track as it pulls your arms off, literally hootin 'n' holleren as the yanks say. It's just that much fun.

10-15-2007, 10:51 AM	#43
DADODIRT Beastly Adventurer Joined: Jun 2004 Location: Durango,CO(not quite Purgatory) Oddometer: 2,682	I just picked up a 2001 WR250 this week. It is not street legal yet, but I plan on adding a brake light and mirror as required by CoDOT. What is a good brake light/license plate kit. I like the one in the above picture. I guess the kit would include instructions on how to install, but I am curious as this is the first bike I've owned without a battery. It must need some sort of voltage regulator like on the light switch?

10-15-2007, 10:59 AM	#44
jesusgatos fishing with dynamite Joined: Nov 2006 Location: on the road Oddometer: 2,035	The setup in the picture above is a YZ250F rear fender with a Baja Designs LED taillight / brake light and license plate mount. The only other thing you need to order is a brake light switch to mount on your rear master cylinder. If you want to get by as cheap as possible, you can keep your WR rear fender and light; it's already got a brake light in there, you just need to wire it, and then make a little bracket to hang a plate. WR's also already have a hi-low beam headlight, you just need to add a switch so you can select between them.

09-07-2008, 03:11 PM	#45
gstar60 n00b Joined: Sep 2008 Oddometer: 7	alright how about a yz450. I posted in another thread but it may be more suited for this one. I just bough a yz450 (2007) and have figured out everything(licensing ,lighting, ect.) but want to know about reliability?? I will be doing 35 minute highway trip(60-70mph) on it a couple times a week. I would like it to still be a trail ridder to(i'd guess about 40% offroad). Will it hold up with proper maintance and low -moderate abuse?? If it wasn't brand new and i didn't owe millions on it, I might consider a ktm but right now thats not an option. What other mods should be done?? Oil cooler?? fan for radiator(saw it on an aprilla dual sport??) The bike is sick on the streets and I'm young so the rough ride/balls to the wall throttle response isn't a problem its a benifit!!! What do you think??